The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-06-16

own originality. A platform democratic,
republican and Independent; a platform
blue es the skies and black as Africa; a
platform that distances competition in
uniq ueness and pliable to every touch of
interest marked the outlines of this ex-
traordinary document, the most e1traor-
binary, perhaps, that in the annals of this
world ever rose or reigned or fell.
Flung into the arena in the midst of an
agitation that quickened every energy of
convention which acknowledged no
party obligations, it commenced its course
stranger by suggestion, an orphan by
birth, and may be styled a scholar by
charity.
With no authority but its word and no
fortune but Anheuser's, it rushed into the
lists where truth, honor and patriotism
had arrayed themselves, but the people
fled from its embrace as from the glance OF
pestllence.
1t knew no motive but interest; ac-
knowledged no criterion but success; 1t
worshipped no God but Mammon and
Bacchus, and with an eastern devotion it
knelt at the shrine of its adolatry.
Subsidiary to this, there was no creed
that did it not profess; there was no
opinion that it did not promu'gate.
In the name of mustang grapes 1T upheld
the distillery; for the sake of sour mash
it bowed before blackberry bush; the
or phan of st. Louis it claimed to be the
adopted child of Texas; and with par
ricidal lngratitude on the shame of both
democrats and republicans 1t reared the
throne of alcoholic despotlsm.
A professed democrat it pilloried Coke;
| L. ~ ranallaH (lunnU
and in the name of Jefferson it grasped
without remorse and shook without shame
the Hamiltonian hand of Arch Cochran.
The whole state shook with laugh
ter at the mendacity of its designs
and the miracle of their execu-
ton. Skepticism bowed to the prodigies
of its declarations; romance assumed the
air of history in its allegations, nor was
there augAt too incredible for belief or
too fanciful for expectation when the
world saw subaltern of Corsicana waving
the democratic flag at the head of the
shouting columns of its ancient enemies.
All the platforms of antiquity become
commonplace beside this. 1t matters
little whether they were written in the
field or in the drawing room, at the head
of a mob or in levee. Amid all com
parsons this platform stands unique
and unapproachable, whether you
consider it as wearing democratic bon
, net or a republican crown, ostracising
Coke, Reagan, Maxey and Culberson, OF
espousing Melvin Wade. In this wonder
full combination its affcctations of liberty
and temperance must not be omitted
/ The TAILOR and subsidizer of the press, thu
, proscriber of opinions, the prosecutor O.
free speech ana the boycotter of trade, tn
incubator of rotten eggs, it talks of 'per
l sonal liberty" The same watchwor'
' is in the mouth of the anarchist
S and similar platform sheltered
the assassins of Haddock, an
S in the name of temperance seeks to taste
the saloons forever upon free people
y Such medley of contradictions and a
s the same time such lack of consistenc
o were never before united in the sam
t platform. A democrat, a republican an
an independent; know-nothing, Catf
q Ollie aud a patron of the synagogue;
g Christian and an infdel, and through a
o its checkered contrarieties, the same mys
FERROUS, ncomprehensible document,
: platform without model and without
f shadow.